Antique Indian Dawat Bronze Inkwell in the Shape of a Stupa Pagoda, India, 19th Century

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MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 21 cm; Diameter: 9.5 cm; Weight: 0.645 kg

Item :
An antique ritual and travel inkwell (historically called … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 21 cm; Diameter: 9.5 cm; Weight: 0.645 kg

Item :
An antique ritual and travel inkwell (historically called a "dawat") in bronze, dating to the second half of the 19th century, a fascinating example of the art of bronze casting in northern India. The object is entirely cast using the lost-wax process in a bronze and brass alloy, evoking the sacred architectural form of a Buddhist stupa or the spire (shikhara) of a Hindu temple. The structure is composed of two distinct elements designed to fit together perfectly: a flared tripod base, which serves as an ink reservoir, and a tall protective lid surmounted by a spire with decreasing concentric rings, cold-finished by hand and embellished with delicate geometric engravings on the central collar. Along the body of the object are four loops that served the dual purpose of vertically holding the quill pens and also held a safety chain to seal the inkwell during transport. The interior of the reservoir retains thick, genuine encrustations of bright green oxidation (verdigris), caused by the chemical reaction with the acids of ancient vegetable inks. The object displays signs of aging and authentic period use, including a noticeable, historic crack with loss of material on the spherical dome of the lid, exposing the thickness of the internal casting. This does not detract from, but rather documents, the piece's troubled history. See less